Early bird tickets are on sale.

Friday, June 7, 2013

A very limited number of Early Bird Vernisage tickets are available and they are selling quickly so if you want to spend more on art and less on tickets, pick one up – or even two – now for $100 each at www.iticket.co.nz

If you are new to the term Vernissage, it is a glamorous word for a glamorous event. Taken from old French, it orignially referred to the final flourish given to an artwork before its public unveiling, but is now used to denote the opening night of a significant art event.

The Art Fair’s signature opening party hosts up 900 colourful guests for an evening of great food, wine and people watching as well as the opportunity to be the first to view (and perhaps even purchase) the best of the region’s contemporary art.

Tickets sold out several weeks in advance of previous fairs so get your ticket and your outfit sorted now.

We are delighted to announce our special guest to the Fair this year is Sandra Phillips, senior curator photography at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. In her long tenure at the museum, Phillips has curated and collaborated on critically acclaimed exhibitions by some of the world’s leading photographers.

A recent highlight was,”Exposed: Voyeurism, Surveillance, and the Camera Since 1870″, an exhibition conceived by Phillips and co-curated with the Tate Modern. Comprising more than 200 images, Exposed explores the use and cultural impact of photography made in public spaces, demonstrating the huge impact of cameras and camera technology, both past and present.

Sandra’s keynote lecture, presented by the Fair’s principal partner ANZ Private, is fully subscribed as part of our Collectors Packages, but she will take part in an Art Fair Forum panel discussion, called “What photography sees?” with Harvey Benge and Ron Brownson on Thursday 8 August from 2- 3 pm. This is included in the price of admission ($25 GA, $20 early bird and concession).

Keep an eye out for the next e-news where we will be announcing the Art Fair’s special projects in more detail. In the meantime, make sure Auckland Art Fair is in your calendar, plan to bring some friends and make a day or weekend of it.